2009 world rankings posted, revealing potential USA record
Martin Gasselsberger of Austria has posted his 2009 masters rankings — combining world indoor and outdoor season lists — at his ever-amazing site, mastersathletics.net. While skimming the lists, I noticed at least one potential American age-group record. It’s the W35 5000-meter run. The listed American record is 15:15.2 by Francie Larrieu back in 1988. But Martin lists a 15:07.78 by Jen Rhines at Stockholm on July 31, 2009. Also, Martin shows an incredible 31:40.97 for the W40 10K by Russia’s Alla Zhilyayeva on July 23, 2009 — smashing the listed WMA world record of 32:12.07 by France’s Nicole Leveque in 1994. Martin’s list has omissions, however, including several M95 and M100 marks. And Duane Gosa’s 49.92 isn’t mentioned in the M40 400 list. (And marks made at the Sydney World Masters Games are absent.) All are fixable. Meantime, check your event and note any errors.
14 Responses
Marla Runyan ran 14:59.20 at 35 (May 2004 at Waltham,Ma.) Maybe that time wasn’t submitted for ratification?
Also, Edith Masai ran 31:31.18 at 40
(July ’07, Algiers.) Not submitted, I’d
guess. Maybe the paperwork could be
waived in certain cases?
…but, in Masai’s case, record status might depend on d.o.b. verification. The recordkeepers have to deal with that – with so many great distance records by African runners, you have to list them, but
maybe along with separate “verified” records.
Right U are about Marla (a former San Diegan):
http://masterstrack.com/blog/003636.html
Thanks for the notes!
Interesting observations, Ken and “bf,” but they made me think of some issues that are more pressing. Your perspective, Ken, if I may be so bold, is to find the best credible mark. Traditionally, in masters T&F, at least for the last few years, the perspective has been much different — it’s all been about the process. If the record was set at the “wrong” meet or did not go through the full process, it is not a record even though we know it is the best credible mark.
A few random observations/recollections:
1. Quite a few years ago a highly regarded sprinter (about age 78) who was on his way to the Penn Relays to run the 75+ 100 dash got caught in heavy traffic and failed to show. He would have won, I am sure. Later he told me he cried about missing the big event. Yes, a man in his late 70s broke down in tears about missing the 100 dash before the huge Saturday crowd. I can only imagine what would have happened if he had set an American record in that event and had his mark join the list of FAT marks set at Penn but not accepted by masters T&F.
2. A few days ago I talked to a woman at my fitness club who had been, she told me, a sprinter at Boston College. She’s in good shape and said she would have to wait only 3 years until she could do the seniors thing as a sprinter (she’ll be 50). I am constantly amazed at how few people know about the masters program for people 30+.
The Senior Games/Senior Olympics, now that’s a big meet, but regardless of its size and prestige, it’s not too big to avoid having its records thrown out by masters T&F (at least for 2009). This includes Don Pellmann’s American mark in the pole vault for M90 (might have been a world mark as well), a record that beat an American mark set at the 2005 Senior Games, it appears. In other words, you set a mark at the 2009 Senior Games that beats a record set at the 2005 Senior Games but cannot get credit for it. As I said, it’s all about the process.
3. John Hinton, after a period of 1.5 years, finally got his American indoor mark for the mile (M45) of 4:20.18, but it never got accepted as a world mark, even though it is superior to the listed mark.
Cases 4 through 300. Don’t have time to consider all the other cases, as I need to get some things done in the next 2 years. Can only regret that so many athletes did not get what was rightfully theirs.
Does anyone know why the world rankings at mastersathletics.net omit the decathlon and pentathlon? They are legit events, after all. The official World Championships hold the deca and the official U.S., European and several other countries hold the pent as part of their Nationals. I see that the weight pentathlon is included. For that matter, is there a site anywhere that includes the multi-event rankings for Masters? Thanks
Steve, I can’t speak for Martin. But I think the multis represent a major time suck for a masters statistician (especially for an unpaid hobbyist).
But WMA should devote some of its meager resources to building a database of marks.
Suggestion: Why can’t WMA get John Seto to build a mastersrankings.com for the world masters community — not just USATF? John built a rankings system for Pete Magill at YLFOR:
http://www.mastersrankings.com/index.php?pseason=RR
The hard part would be to make worldmastersrankings.com or wmarankings.org usable for all languages. But all issues can be tackled.
All it takes is will.
After 2002, on masterstrack.com, I notice that the multi events are longer included in the world rankings. Even listing just the scores doesn’t seem like it takes more time than any other event…just like they are doing in the weight pentathlons. I just wondered if anybody in the world keeps track of the multi’s for masters. I know that Frank Zarnowski was listing extensive results and lists for the OPEN multi-eventers, just not masters.
http://teamdecathlon.webs.com/worldrankings.htm
Martin correctly posted the W35-39 LONG JUMP rankings where they should be. However, he ALSO posted them where the W35-39 TRIPLE JUMP rankings should be. So there is no W35-39 Triple Jump rankings posted. I sent him an email regarding that error yesterday.
Here are the women’s TJ rankings:
http://mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/Rankings_2009/2009triplejumpw.htm
I just stuck “triplejump” where “longjump” was in the URL. Martin just pasted down the wrong link.
(I do that ALL the time!)
Men – M 40 – 44
All Time World Rankings – Short Hurdles
13.73 -0.5 David Ashford USA 24.01.1964 Carolina 11.07.2003
13.79 Roger Kingdom USA 26.08.1962 Slippery Rock 23.06.2004
13.96 0.0 Karl Smith JAM 15.09.1959 Brisbane 12.07.2001
14.01 0.5 Vincent Clarico FRA 08.01.1966 Elancourt 21.06.2006
14.10 Rod Jett USA 28.10.1966 San Mateo 30.06.2007
14.16 0.7 Carlos Sala Molera ESP 20.03.1960 Castellon 15.08.2000
14.24 Stan Druckrey USA 10.08.1948 Eugene 30.07.1989
14.37 0.4 Herbert Kreiner AUT 22.07.1955 Wels 31.08.1996
14.37 Peter Grimes USA 01.02.1959 Orlando 27.08.1999
14.39 Willie Gault USA 05.09.1960 Carson 23.07.2005
(10)
2009 Hurdle Marks are not even reflecting on the all time rankings
World Rankings 2009 – Short Hurdles
14.32 0.7 Mike Godbout USA WC Lahti 28.07.2009
14.36 Don Drummond USA Hoover 06.06.2009
14.61 Rod Jett USA Walnut 16.04.2009
14.92 0.7 Marin Garrigues FRA WC Lahti 28.07.2009
It’s not automatic. I the long run it will be OK, I suppose it is a bit too time-consuming for Martin.
Hay KEN thank you very much it means A lot to me to see that I am rank in the world rankings even tho I will move up in the rankings when the season start over im determend to get to the top and shoot for world record what a boost even tho I was running with
WITH bad hambstring, im world ranked,happy to see what i can do with 2 good leggs.???? thanks THANKS KEN
Yea Ken…I checked the 2009 Rankings for the W50 High Jump and apparently there was a 50 year old woman from Brazil that jumped higher than I in Lahti. Strangly enough, I never got to shake her hand to congratulate her;-) I think that is another mistake, as I took gold. Martha
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